Processing Dates California Service Center

[AL+ ALENA FOREVER 1]

OK - The way I calculate the time-line today was month # 5 for us. I could not take it any more so I called.

1. I dialed the phone number several times before I got through.

2. I had many levels of phone prompts.

3. I was told that they receive my paperwork on Oct 29th not the date of Oct 18th which was when we received our NOA1

4. Then I was told that all processing dates are just estimates

5. Then she read from her scripts.

6. Then she look up what date the California Service Center is currently processing - She told me it was OCT16. She told me that there are 13 more processing days before they get to OCT 29 fillers

7. She explained to me that a 1 processing day does not equal 1 earth day. A processing day maybe an hour - a day - a week - a month - It depends on many factors.

8. She told me that I can call back do get an update on their processing date.

It was a smooth phone call but I did not really push for more information.

Now if anyone can explain to me why they are not able to process the applications on a first in first out basis

How does a filler from Jan / Feb get approved when Sept and Oct fillers are still waiting - To me it seems like a simple process to process the applications 1st in 1st out.

Is there any reason that they could not display on there web site their current processing date????

[SqdnGuns 21]

WOW, just love how this system works <sarcasm>

Good luck

[Sweet17L 3]

we filed in November 2010 and still waiting for NOA2. im also wondering why it's taking them so long to process/ review our papers.. i dont understand why they have to wait for the 5th month mark instead of working double time to lessen the pile of applications on their table. it would do us all justice if they update us properly. some people are getting ahead of us in getting NOA2. so not fair.

[mspiggyflack 0]

yes its no fair... ive known people who filed their petition on january and got their noa2 already, ive heard about a k1 filer too that got her noa2 in just 27 days.. so whats up w/ that??? i dont understand it too. well im in our 3 months of wait though, it sucks cuz ive heard people getting their noa2s and yet they filed just thia jan2011...

[Kish.2328 9]

Now if anyone can explain to me why they are not able to process the applications on a first in first out basis

How does a filler from Jan / Feb get approved when Sept and Oct fillers are still waiting - To me it seems like a simple process to process the applications 1st in 1st out.

you could've push through and ask them this.

[gretchen_darren 67]

some answers you may or may not like:

1) the director at CSC was replaced in August.

2) they made budget cuts at the end of the government fiscal year (or right at the start of the 4th quarter fiscal year (August).

3) CSC DOES work 2 shifts.

4) CSC has 700 employees plus 400 contractors.

5) k-1 is only 1% of ALL applications received in a month for ALL Service centers. 5,000 per month out of 500,000.

6) CSC focus is to process i-129 (h-1,H-2) visas in 2 months.

7) CSC recently added more workers to the family line backlog during and after the annual Febraury meeting with the Director over the service centers.

8) Based on november projections, without adding more staff, they would have been behind by a year in approvals.

9) CSC attempted to transfer 35,000 i-130 applications to TSC for work. This transfer failed miserably. These applications are now being processed back at CSC.

10) there are 3 units at the CSC. I-129F goes to the family unit. (with I-130)

This is all research from the internet. Most of the facts are from the Jan 26, 2011 meeting at CSC in which I-129 lawyers were taken on a tour of CSC.

http://www.nafsa.org/uploadedFiles/CSC%20Stakeholder%20notes%2001262011.pdf

Additional general information from the CSC tour: CSC is the only USCIS service center housed completely within one facility (“under one roof”). Approximately 700 federal employees and 400 contractor (“Stanley SCOSS”) employees comprise the CSC workforce, and the center operates two shifts. CSC receives approximately $32 million in fees each month and processes about 60,000 to 80,000 applications and petitions per month. All denials are reviewed by a supervisor.

[gretchen_darren 67]

at 2,000 approvals a month that is between 2.5% and 3.3% of all applications a month at the service center. This is also true of VSC.

[nane1104 146]

These are questions frequently discussed on VJ- so far, still no definite answers. There are many factors why an application that was submitted later would be approved earlier than others...it could be a pending backgroundcheck that needs more time, laziness of your particular caseworker, expedited application that will take "your" spot" nobody really can't say.

My advice: Don't even get worked up over it. It's pointless. Your time will come, until then, stay patient and go with the flow....unless it's been an extremely long wait, then you should get into 2nd gear and make some calls..lol

Good luck!

[AL+ ALENA FOREVER 1]

The current update is that as of 5:15PM 10/28/2011 I became the luckiest man in the world. I came to work today Tuesday 10/29/2011 as I was going through the several hundred emails that I always have waiting for me I found in 1 of my many in-boxes an email stating that we were approved at 5:15PM 10/28/2011

*****************************************************************************************************************************************************

*** DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL ***

The last processing action taken on your case

Receipt Number: WAC**********

Application Type: I129F , PETITION FOR FIANCE(E)

Your Case Status: Post Decision Activity

On March 28, 2011, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I129F PETITION FOR FIANCE(E). Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service at 1-800-375-5283.

For approved applications/petitions, post-decision activity may include USCIS sending notification of the approved application/petition to the National Visa Center or the Department of State. For denied applications/petitions, post-decision activity may include the processing of an appeal and/or motions to reopen or reconsider and revocations.

If you have questions or concerns about your application or the case status results

listed above, or if you have not received a decision from USCIS within the current

processing time listed*, please contact USCIS Customer Service at (800) 375-5283.

*Current processing times can be found on the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov under Check Processing Times.

*** Please do not respond to this e-mail message.

Sincerely,

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

*****************************************************************************************************************************************************

I would like to comment on some of the replies I have received and the entire process but at this point I am still on cloud nine. My head is spinning with so many thoughts that I need to slow down before I reply to the comments. I still cannot believe that it is true.

[Stephalex 2]

My fiance and I applied back in October of 2010 and we are still waiting for a NOA2 when someone who applied 2 days after and got their NOA1 a week after us already have a NOA2. This is sure getting frustrating.

Also, can anyone please tell me what a Touch means? I keep seeing it on people's signature timelines with Touched and a timestamp beside it.

[SqdnGuns 21]

some answers you may or may not like:

1) the director at CSC was replaced in August.

2) they made budget cuts at the end of the government fiscal year (or right at the start of the 4th quarter fiscal year (August).

3) CSC DOES work 2 shifts.

4) CSC has 700 employees plus 400 contractors.

5) k-1 is only 1% of ALL applications received in a month for ALL Service centers. 5,000 per month out of 500,000.

6) CSC focus is to process i-129 (h-1,H-2) visas in 2 months.

7) CSC recently added more workers to the family line backlog during and after the annual Febraury meeting with the Director over the service centers.

8) Based on november projections, without adding more staff, they would have been behind by a year in approvals.

9) CSC attempted to transfer 35,000 i-130 applications to TSC for work. This transfer failed miserably. These applications are now being processed back at CSC.

10) there are 3 units at the CSC. I-129F goes to the family unit. (with I-130)

This is all research from the internet. Most of the facts are from the Jan 26, 2011 meeting at CSC in which I-129 lawyers were taken on a tour of CSC.

http://www.nafsa.org...%2001262011.pdf

Additional general information from the CSC tour: CSC is the only USCIS service center housed completely within one facility ("under one roof"). Approximately 700 federal employees and 400 contractor ("Stanley SCOSS") employees comprise the CSC workforce, and the center operates two shifts. CSC receives approximately $32 million in fees each month and processes about 60,000 to 80,000 applications and petitions per month. All denials are reviewed by a supervisor.

Amazing that they can approve an H-1B in two months and typically this includes a spouse/family. But for a USC to file to get their spouse here, it can take over a year?? Why does a USC get crapped on??

I forwarded the PDF to the reporter of my story this week (link below). She has taken a keen interest at how screwed up the immigration process is.

[maggieb 4]

My fiance and I applied back in October of 2010 and we are still waiting for a NOA2 when someone who applied 2 days after and got their NOA1 a week after us already have a NOA2. This is sure getting frustrating.

Also, can anyone please tell me what a Touch means? I keep seeing it on people's signature timelines with Touched and a timestamp beside it.

Touch could mean many things.....either transfering from on shelve to another, transfer from shelve to worker's desk, or a worker is looking over it. Some petitions get "touched", some petitions do not get "touched". As for the 2 day approval, it could be that new workers have picked up a box containing that persons petition and worked on it, found it to have everything there, and approved it.

[Royrai 0]

at 2,000 approvals a month that is between 2.5% and 3.3% of all applications a month at the service center. This is also true of VSC.

Hi hope you can give me advise for my fiance petition.thanks so much

[Pitaya 2,577]

Hi hope you can give me advise for my fiance petition.thanks so much

There are folks here that can help you, but you need to provide more information.

Happy New Year!

[BisandYessy 4]

Even if your petition was sent on the 16th Oct, it's not yet 5 month, so just be a little patient, because there are August and September filers, I have been waiting for four months now , I filed on the 24th of September and still waiting................... Don't we are all going to get through soon.